Karen

Bye, Manila.

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:00:48 GMT

I'm gonna experience some other atmosphere for several days. Haha.

Beach, please please please. Beaaaaaaaach. Haha.

Bye.

BYE PHONE.

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:26:16 GMT

Take 2. Haha.

Malas nga naman, o.

At least this time, I know I didn't just leave it behind or something. It was inside my bag. INSIDE, man. Napakagaling naman na pickpocket nun.

Anyway, there. Bye, phone. Bye world, for a while. Haha.

PRESSURE.

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:19:08 GMT

May facebook na ko. HAHAHA YUN LANG.

Kahit HB ako ng bonggang bongga. (break sandali)

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:21:51 GMT

Life's perspective from a 'down-to-earth' view.

Adrian Tan is a litigation lawyer at one of Singapore's leading law firms. Outside the courtroom, he is known for a variety of funny things, including The Teenage Textbook, which he wrote in the late 1980s. The book became a cult classic among students of that generation and was adapted into a film 10 years later.

Adrian was the guest-of-honour at an NTU convocation ceremony last week, and this is Adrian's speech to the graduating class of 2008

Life and How to Survive It

I must say thank you to the faculty and staff of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information for inviting me to give your convocation address. It's a wonderful honour and a privilege for me to speak here for ten minutes without fear of contradiction, defamation or retaliation. I say this as a Singaporean and more so as a husband.

My wife is a wonderful person and perfect in every way except one. She is the editor of a magazine. She corrects people for a living. She has honed her expert skills over a quarter of a century, mostly by practising at home during conversations between her and me.

On the other hand, I am a litigator. Essentially, I spend my day telling people how wrong they are. I make my living being disagreeable.

Nevertheless, there is perfect harmony in our matrimonial home. That is because when an editor and a litigator have an argument, the one who triumphs is always the wife.

And so I want to start by giving one piece of advice to the men: when you've already won her heart, you don't need to win every argument.

Marriage is considered one milestone of life. Some of you may already be married. Some of you may never be married. Some of you will be married. Some of you will enjoy the experience so much, you will be married many, many times. Good for you.

The next big milestone in your life is today: your graduation. The end of education. You're done learning.

You've probably been told the big lie that 'Learning is a lifelong process' and that therefore you will continue studying and taking masters' degrees and doctorates and professorships and so on. You know the sort of people who tell you that? Teachers. Don't you think there is some measure of conflict of interest? They are in the business of learning, after all. Where would they be without you? They need you to be repeat customers.

The good news is that they're wrong.

The bad news is that you don't need further education because your entire life is over. It is gone. That may come as a shock to some of you. You're in your teens or early twenties. People may tell you that you will live to be 70, 80, 90 years old. That is your life expectancy.

I love that term: life expectancy. We all understand the term to mean the average life span of a group of people. But I'm here to talk about a bigger idea, which is what you expect from your life.

You may be very happy to know that Singapore is currently ranked as the country with the third highest life expectancy. We are behind Andorra and Japan, and tied with San Marino. It seems quite clear why people in those countries, and ours, live so long. We share one thing in common: our football teams are all hopeless. There's very little danger of any of our citizens having their pulses raised by watching us play in the World Cup. Spectators are more likely to be lulled into a gentle and restful nap.

Singaporeans have a life expectancy of 81.8 years. Singapore men live to an average of 79.21 years, while Singapore women live more than five years longer, probably to take into account the additional time they need to spend in the bathroom.

So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you'll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and prosper.

Bad news. Read the papers. There are people dropping dead when they're 50, 40, 30 years old. Or quite possibly just after finishing their convocation. They would be very disappointed that they didn't meet their life expectancy.

I'm here to tell you this. Forget about your life expectancy.

After all, it's calculated based on an average. And you never, ever want to expect being average.

Revisit those expectations. You might be looking forward to working, falling in love, marrying, raising a family. You are told that, as graduates, you should expect to find a job paying so much, where your hours are so much, where your responsibilities are so much.

That is what is expected of you. And if you live up to it, it will be an awful waste.

If you expect that, you will be limiting yourself. You will be living your life according to boundaries set by average people. I have nothing against average people. But no one should aspire to be them. And you don't need years of education by the best minds in Singapore to prepare you to be average.

What you should prepare for is mess. Life's a mess. You are not entitled to expect anything from it. Life is not fair. Everything does not balance out in the end. Life happens, and you have no control over it. Good and bad things happen to you day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment. Your degree is a poor armour against fate.

Don't expect anything. Erase all life expectancies. Just live. Your life is over as of today. At this point in time, you have grown as tall as you will ever be, you are physically the fittest you will ever be in your entire life and you are probably looking the best that you will ever look. This is as good as it gets. It is all downhill from here. Or up. No one knows.

What does this mean for you? It is good that your life is over.

Since your life is over, you are free. Let me tell you the many wonderful things that you can do when you are free.

The most important is this: do not work.

Work is anything that you are compelled to do. By its very nature, it is undesirable.

Work kills. The Japanese have a term 'Karoshi', which means death from overwork. That's the most dramatic form of how work can kill. But it can also kill you in more subtle ways. If you work, then day by day, bit by bit, your soul is chipped away, disintegrating until there's nothing left. A rock has been ground into sand and dust.

There's a common misconception that work is necessary. You will meet people working at miserable jobs. They tell you they are 'making a living'. No, they're not. They're dying, frittering away their fast-extinguishing lives doing things which are, at best, meaningless and, at worst, harmful.

People will tell you that work ennobles you, that work lends you a certain dignity. Work makes you free. The slogan 'Arbeit macht frei' was placed at the entrances to a number of Nazi concentration camps. Utter nonsense.

Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing something you hate so that you can spend the small remainder sliver of your life in modest comfort. You may never reach that end anyway.

Resist the temptation to get a job. Instead, play. Find something you enjoy doing. Do it. Over and over again. You will become good at it for two reasons: you like it, and you do it often. Soon, that will have value in itself.

I like arguing, and I love language. So, I became a litigator. I enjoy it and I would do it for free. If I didn't do that, I would've been in some other type of work that still involved writing fiction – probably a sports journalist.

So what should you do? You will find your own niche. I don't imagine you will need to look very hard. By this time in your life, you will have a very good idea of what you will want to do. In fact, I'll go further and say the ideal situation would be that you will not be able to stop yourself pursuing your passions. By this time you should know what your obsessions are. If you enjoy showing off your knowledge and feeling superior, you might become a teacher.

Find that pursuit that will energise you, consume you, become an obsession. Each day, you must rise with a restless enthusiasm. If you don't, you are working.

Most of you will end up in activities which involve communication. To those of you I have a second message: be wary of the truth. I'm not asking you to speak it, or write it, for there are times when it is dangerous or impossible to do those things. The truth has a great capacity to offend and injure, and you will find that the closer you are to someone, the more care you must take to disguise or even conceal the truth. Often, there is great virtue in being evasive, or equivocating. There is also great skill. Any child can blurt out the truth, without thought to the consequences. It takes great maturity to appreciate the value of silence.

In order to be wary of the truth, you must first know it. That requires great frankness to yourself. Never fool the person in the mirror.

I have told you that your life is over, that you should not work, and that you should avoid telling the truth. I now say this to you: be hated.

It's not as easy as it sounds. Do you know anyone who hates you? Yet every great figure who has contributed to the human race has been hated, not just by one person, but often by a great many. That hatred is so strong it has caused those great figures to be shunned, abused, murdered and in one famous instance, nailed to a cross.

One does not have to be evil to be hated. In fact, it's often the case that one is hated precisely because one is trying to do right by one's own convictions. It is far too easy to be liked, one merely has to be accommodating and hold no strong convictions. Then one will gravitate towards the centre and settle into the average. That cannot be your role. There are a great many bad people in the world, and if you are not offending them, you must be bad yourself. Popularity is a sure sign that you are doing something wrong.

The other side of the coin is this: fall in love.

I didn't say 'be loved'. That requires too much compromise. If one changes one's looks, personality and values, one can be loved by anyone.

Rather, I exhort you to love another human being. It may seem odd for me to tell you this. You may expect it to happen naturally, without deliberation. That is false. Modern society is anti-love. We've taken a microscope to everyone to bring out their flaws and shortcomings. It far easier to find a reason not to love someone, than otherwise. Rejection requires only one reason. Love requires complete acceptance. It is hard work – the only kind of work that I find palatable.

Loving someone has great benefits. There is admiration, learning, attraction and something which, for the want of a better word, we call happiness. In loving someone, we become inspired to better ourselves in every way. We learn the truth, the worthlessness of material things. We celebrate being human. Loving is good for the soul.

Loving someone is therefore very important, and it is also important to choose the right person. Despite popular culture, love doesn't happen by chance, at first sight, across a crowded dance floor. It grows slowly, sinking roots first before branching and blossoming. It is not a silly weed, but a mighty tree that weathers every storm.

You will find, that when you have someone to love, that the face is less important than the brain, and the body is less important than the heart.

You will also find that it is no great tragedy if your love is not reciprocated. You are not doing it to be loved back. Its value is to inspire you.

Finally, you will find that there is no half-measure when it comes to loving someone. You either don't, or you do with every cell in your body, completely and utterly, without reservation or apology. It consumes you, and you are reborn, all the better for it.

Don't work. Avoid telling the truth. Be hated. Love someone.
You're going to have a busy life. Thank goodness there's no life expectancy.

***

Buwisit. Hindi naman sa nakukulangan pa ko sa computer dito sa bahay, pero parang ganun na nga. Out of 4 (or 5?) computers. Ngayong gabi, hindi ako makagamit, ni isa. Hindi ko magawa yung kailangan gawin kasi (1)may gumagamit nung pc na kailangan ko, and (2)masyadong low tech yung isa pang pc na pwede sana.

Buwisit. Buwisit talaga. I need my own computer. Hindi ako madamot. Ang dami ko lang kailangan gawin sa computer na kung may ka-share ako, uubusin ko lang space sa HD at magkakaasaran lang kami sa pag aagawan.

Saka..

Wala. Gusto ko maging masamang tao lately. Sungitan lahat ng nakakaasar, sagutin ng bastos lahat ng mga taong foul, sabihan ng 'too frank' words mga taong dense, isalpak sa mga mukha ng tao ang katotohanan, ibaon yung mga in denial.

But I don't. In my head nalang. Haha.

Must rise above this.

No, I am not pissed at all.

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:28:25 GMT

Yesterday was a crazy day. Wait. 1am na pala. Haha.

Rephrase. February 7 was a crazy day.

Things to do that day:
-9am class
-game vs CHE
-EEE 11 early exam(4:30)
-SHS Band-Aid, production band kami

What happened that day:
-We slept over kila Nicco the night before, to practice.
-Rushed to my 9am class. Almost too late.
-I was supposed to take the early exam. Kaso biglang 4:30 pala start ng Band-Aid
-So I panicked. Decided not to take the early exam, and risk being late for it.
-So right after the game and reviewing for the exam, rushed to SHS na.
-When I got there, tugtog agad. Opening number, with the competitors.
-Natapos yung set mga 5:15. Punta kami ni Airon agad sa UP.
-Took the 6pm exam. Left at 7pm. Dapat up to 8 yun. Haha.
-We went to Maong's sandali, to buy isaw for bandmates.
-SHS na ulit by 7:45. So far, so good, diba? But noo..
-Closing number dapat kami. Pero change of plan. After daw nung last competitor, kami na ulit.
-Last competitor Atom. Galing nila Don. Naswan. Panalo din sila. Didn't doubt they'd win at all. :)
-Anyway, after nila, akyat agad kami ng stage. Minamadali pa. Nang biglang..
-Pangalan ng isang sikat na banda ang inaannounce. Wala man lang pasabi. Nagsesetup na kaya kami. Siyempre, unplug naman kami agad to give way.
-Turns out, 'kulang sa time', so cinancel nila yung Finale number nung competitors.
-So there. Umalis na kami after. Went to Sarah's. Uwi.

I don't mind not playing. I don't care if walang tugtog ng matagal. I mean hello, ang dami kong ginagawa, minsan todo effort talaga pag may tugtog. Pero nabuwisit talaga ako. Kasi..

1. Hindi naman kami competitor. Wala kaming mapapala sa pag house band sa Band-Aid, pero..
2. Pinag handa nila kami ng tutugtugin. Sila pa pumili.
3. Inayos namin lahat. Lahat. Areglo, division para sa vocalists nung competitors, etc.
4. Andun kami start to finish. START to FINISH. Sana umalis na kami after nung first set.
5. Sayang yung binalik ko sa SHS. Sana di ko na minadali yung exam. Sana di na naghintay si Airon kasi wala naman pala kaming babalikan. Sana di na kami umalis sa Maong's. Haha. Sa Sarah's din pala bagsak namin after.
6. Band scene politics. *coughcough*

Haha. Yun lang. Bye.

I AGREE. Haha! :D

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:16:08 GMT

Kayo, agree? :P

Anti-social mode level up.

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:21:25 GMT

I lost my phone. So, sorry. Disappear muna ako sa balat ng lupa. :P

Reflection paper. Not. Hahahaha.

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 05:37:21 GMT

    Humans are creatures of habit. This is perhaps one of the things that help us survive. We develop habits, make them second nature, so that our mind can focus on other things rather than constantly having to take our habits into consideration.

    Habits are brought about by necessity or convenience. We learn to type fast, barely looking at the keyboard, because we want to focus on what we're typing rather than how to type. We practice our sports skills so that when game time comes, we focus more on playing the game well rather than how to play it.

    Some habits though, are formed by things that aren't constant. Like the student who wakes up at 9am sharp to be on time for a 10am class. Come next semester, his mornings become an unpleasant hurry, as he struggles to wake up at 6am for his 7am class. Or the parent whose kid just moved out and went to college. There's suddenly a big part of his child's life that he doesn't have watch over, and it bothers him that he doesn't hold as authoritative a role as he used to.

    Some habits, we force ourselves consciously to develop. Like the undergraduate painstakingly abstaining from computer games and going out in order to do scholastically well. Or the boyfriend who is slowly learning how to reassure a doubting girlfriend. (The bf-gf scenario isn't something I like. Haha. I'd like to think things are a little more effortless than having to remind/reassure each other. But you get the point.)

    Habits are formed by circumstance, and conscious choices. But these circumstances and choices are bound to change. You know the clichè, change is the only constant. And sometimes our habits have to change with them. Try stubbornly sticking to a 4am bedtime, see how you do with a 7am class.

    But since we ARE creatures of habit, its obviously hard to break them.

    Sometimes we need to, though. Because habits make our lives automated. Sometimes we can't tell if a person does something out of sincerity or out of habit. Sometimes we can't tell if WE are doing things out of sincerity or habit.

    Hell, sometimes we're not even aware of our habits. It's hard to own up to them at times, to accept that we do have these habits. Like being too easily drawn to things, like running away from uncomfortable situations, like refusing to listen, like being unable to resist temptation.

    We act out of habit more than half the time. That's not to say it's a bad thing, but maybe from time to time, we should give our habits a rest. Just for a short time. To let our brains do things consciously, decide for things consciously, contemplate things consciously. Pure unblemished thought. Now, that's rare.

Wala na bang i-chi-chill pa? Haha.

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:20:31 GMT

Hmm.

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:05:21 GMT

Is there a something in Multiply that makes albums go to the top of other people's inboxes when you edit access using the Media Locker?

Wala lang.

Whenever I do, I notice people view my posts. One album, in particular. Hahahaha.

Random thought.

Curiosity killed the cat, and then some.. :P

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:34:36 GMT

You don't know the questions. You can see the answers. You'll only get the questions if you ask for them. Then you answer the questions too. :)

Thanks Ate Inez :)

1. Keavy Vicente
2. Carla Sia
3. Ace Lara. Matry lang. Hahaha.
4. Kat Maraña
5. Martin Tee
6. Camille Faustino :P
7. Jowie Maulawin/Greta Belo
8. Tosca Torres. Kung nag abot kami.
9. Jowie Maulawin
10. JB Aliling :))
11. Airon Bonifacio HAHAHAHA
12. Greta Belo
13. Isay Concepcion
14. Mark Romano
15. Mark Romano :))
16. Jolly Padilla
17. Camille Faustino :P
18. Tin Rey
19. Ate Nowie Maulawin.
20. Tin Rey
21. JB Aliling. Haha!
22. Jow Espino :D
23. Eli Vivero
24. Mapet Masangkay
25. Jowie Maulawin/JB Aliling :))
26. Mikhail Solitario. HAHAHAHA :D
27. Marel Fulgar
28. Camille Santos
29. Mapet Masangkay/Nancy Gamo
30. Curious kayo? Hahahah :D

May pag-asa pala mga half-finished poems.

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:47:48 GMT

Tell Me What This Is

I put it in the shadow of my smile
I whisper it over conversations
and under covers
I wrap it in the glamour of lyrics
I hide it in faint touches
a little longer than hugs

I'm locking it up in songs yet to be heard
I'm aging it in poems yet to be written
and sketches yet to be drawn

I'm saving it for coffee on a cold stormy day
keeping it for conversation under a starry sky
whisking it away for car rides to nowhere
preserving it for pillow talk on any random night

I'm letting it build up for that moment
when I can't keep it anymore
when I can't help but
do it
say it
live it.

***

I wrote the first two stanzas of this nung September 22, 2008. I couldn't finish it then. Naghintay pa talaga siya ng 2009 para magpatapos. Siyempre din nag iba na yung intended tone niya sa kinalabasan. Hahaha.

Nagtunog New Year writing siya bigla.

Anyway.

Happy New Year everyone! :)

2008 in a nutshell.

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:41:28 GMT

I'm sure marami akong nakalimutan isama. Haha. :)

Dami pala nangyari this year.

January
-I remember a heavy sem. Physics 71, Chem 16, Math 53.
-PE 3.
-Chem exams.
-Grip Apps' Party
-MOA adventure with Bea and Kim
-Spice Girls phase for me. Haha.

February
-Love On The Rocks sa Montalban
-UP Fair. Fair wall.
-Early morning sa UP.
-Crazy Math 53 exams.

March
-PE3 Outdoor sa Montalban ulit
-Discovered Kate Voegele
-Besa Villa tambays
-Morning Babes dinners
-Interclass comp
-Manila Bay with family

April
-ILC Tagaytay
-Summer classes
-KenCamilleJowieGreta araw araw :)
-Todo soundtrip.
-Project:Redpoint sa Sandugo
-Sefali

May
-Punta Fuego
-Camille's debut
-Make The Team
-Writing streak
-SHIFTED OUT FINALLY :D
-Tomatokick and foodtrip elsewhere
-Centro Atletico
-Bus from hell

June
-Cuenca, Batangas
-New sem :)
-First app process ng Grip na officer na kami
-Bonding at the Padilla Villa
-I broke into our house :P
-Figuring out how to maneuver gelprens time into our scheds

July
-Escape every week
-Writing streak ulit
-Muntikan nang shoulder injury :P
-Bangs. :))
-Pan Pil love.
-Fermex (or was this June pa?)

August
-Noli-Fili Dekada 2000
-Applied sa ERG. :)
-100 (the movie)
-ESCAPE ESCAPE :))

September
-Happy Birthday to me. :)
-Surprise, lecheng surprise, winner. :D
-Numb3rs phase
-Writing streak nanaman
-Bagong soundtrip
-Grip Apps' Interview
-Power UP nights
-Escape parin palagi

October
-Power UP party
-Hello Antipolo
-Banapple
-Grip Apps' Induction
-Stan's crib
-Tambay at home
-List making!
-ERG talent show

November
-New sem, new sched to maneuver
-Escape parin
-Hello Belo mansion
-We <3 the Fort
-Hello PLURK! :P
-Katip katip katip
-Ateneo (Hi BFF :D)
-ROC!!!
-Daming adventure.

December
-Puro adventure parin
-Bazaars
-Market! Market!
-House of Sisig
-Poner Fin
-EEE 23 Camwhores :)
-Eng'g Week!!!
-ROX
-Rivera Villa
-Balik tugtog
-GRIP Mahalay Pimps and Hoes Partay
-Macky's Debut
-Ol' band tugtog ulit
-Chill day sa Bahay ng Alumni and Katip
-Christmas stuff
-Pating's place overnight

PAHABOL. FUCKING POLITICIAN.

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 08:47:14 GMT

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/141395/DAR-chief-mayor-son-accused-of-mauling-golfers-in-Antipolo

A link to the article. I'll post it here too.

Fucker talaga. Things like these get on my nerves so freakin' much.
_________________________________________________________

DAR chief, mayor son accused of mauling golfers in Antipolo
12/27/2008 | 03:53 PM

MANILA, Philippines — Already in hot water with farmers over land reform issues, Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman is in trouble again, this time over an alleged mauling incident at a golf course in the city of Antipolo.

Radio reports said on Saturday said police were looking into claims that Pangandaman not only flexed his muscles but also let his son Nasser Pangandaman Jr., mayor of Masiu in Lanao del Sur, beat up members of the dela Paz family at the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo shortly after noon Friday.

"Hindi ninyo ako kilala. Ang yabang-yabang mo, ang tapang-tapang mo, mag-ingat ka (You don't know me. You're so conceited and foolhardy, you better be careful)," 56-year-old Delfin dela Paz recalled the Cabinet official telling him, while poking a finger at him after the mauling at the clubhouse.

Radio dzRH reported that said the dela Paz family filed Friday night a complaint with the Antipolo police for physical injuries and violation of the law protecting women and minors.

The elder dela Paz said he was with his 14-year-old son Bino and 18-year-old daughter Bambi at the golf course when the incident happened at about 1 p.m.

He said the Pangandaman father and son overtook them at one of the holes, prompting him to ask a marshal to have them get back in line.

When they were playing at the fifth hole, the mayor allegedly voiced impatience with dela Paz's slow playing.

Dela Paz said at least four bodyguards of the mayor roughed him up, and beat up his 14-year-old son who tried to pacify them. He said his daughter was crying and pleading to them to stop the attack.

After the scuffle, dela Paz said he and his children trudged back to the clubhouse but the secretary and the mayor, with their bodyguards, followed them.

He said the golf course's management and security personnel came late.

On the other hand, he said that at the clubhouse, the mayor poked a finger at his 14-year-old son and said, "tatandaan kita (I will remember you)."

He said that when his elder son and wife arrived at the clubhouse with baseball bats, the Pangandamans' bodyguards drew handguns.

Security personnel then tried to pacify dela Paz and supposedly told them, "umuwi na kayo, napakalaking tao ‘yan (just go home, you're messing with big personalities here)."

Pangandamans side

Secretary Pangandaman could not be reached for comment but other radio stations reported that Mayor Pangandaman filed with the Mayamot police station in Antipolo a counter-complaint of physical injuries and grave threats against the dela Paz father and son.

The mayor said he talked with the elder dela Paz in a nice way but the man hit him instead with an umbrella and hurled invectives and twice challenged him to a fight.

The elder dela Paz admitted hitting one of the mayor’s men with the tip of an umbrella in self-defense as he was being ganged upon.

Golf etiquette 101

In a blog, Bambi dela Paz recalled that the Cabinet official and his son apparently resented their being told to observe golf etiquette.

Bambi wrote that she saw how the mayor hit Bino in the face even as her brother was pleading. She also recalled hearing the mayor shout to his caddy: Hindi nila kami kilala! Sabihin mo nga sa kanila kung sino ako! (They don’t know who we are. Tell them who I am)."

“I lash out, but my dad held me back. I was screaming my lungs out, shouting to this mayor, telling him about what he had done. I said: ‘Nakakahiya kayo. Singkwenta'y sais anyos ang tatay ko. And kapatid ko kakatorse anyos. Anong ilalaban nila sayo? (Shame on you. My father is 56 years old. My brother is just 14 years old. They are no match to you),’" she wrote.

After the scuffle at the clubhouse, she said, her younger brother’s right ear was bleeding and that when her older brother reacted, two of the mayor’s bodyguards pulled out guns.

“I am pretty sure the Secretary of DAR did not take part in the fight, but he just watched all this happen. He watched two of his sons, as we figured out, the other guy was his son, too, beat up my father and my 14-year-old brother. He didn't do anything to stop it. And this person is what now? A Cabinet member. A politician," Bambi wrote.

“The world is has gone crazy. Two politicians beat up a defenseless 56-year-old father and his 14-year-old son. At a golf course. I swear to God, I thought golfers were decent people. You would think politicians were decent people. I guess not. I guess they gang up on 56-year-old men and beat up pleading 14-year-old kids," she added.

To make matters worse, she said, none of the security guards at the clubhouse even tried to stop the fight and that other personnel reportedly told refused to cooperate when they asked for the names of the Pangandamans’ companions.

Radio reports quoted the dela Paz family as saying they won’t be intimidated by the powerful Cabinet member and mayor and they will pursue the criminal complaint against them. - GMANews.TV

You want dirt on a politician? I got dirt for you.

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 07:53:40 GMT

WHAT AN ASSHOLE. I'M MAKING THIS FOR EVERYONE. I HOPE THIS REACHES SOMEONE FROM DAR.

Dirty bastard.

Got this from Justine. Bambee dela Paz posted this.

I know Bambee, and I know her family's a great family. Fuck those men who did this. THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS.

Damn it.
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This is the original post: http://vicissitude-decidido.blogspot.com/2008/12/world-is-fucked-up.html

The world has gone crazy.

So, I just had the worst day of my life.

At around 1:30 PM today, at Valley Golf and Country Club, Antipolo City, Mayor Nasser Pangandaman, Jr., Mayor of Masiu City, Lanao del Sur, his father, Secretary Nasser Pangandaman of the Department of Agrarian Reform, and company, beat my defenseless 56-year-old dad and my 14-year-old brother to a pulp because of some stupid misunderstanding on the golf course.

This is a golf course. I have been a golfer all my life, and I have never seen anything like this. NOTHING. This is hard to comprehend. And it happened to my own father and my own brother too. Right in front of my eyes.

My brother and I were playing golf at the South Course of Valley. We were on the 3rd hole, and we see two golf carts going past us, overtaking our flight, and setting up to tee off on the next hole. My dad goes up to them and asks them why they would do that, why they would overtake us without even asking for our permission. Golf etiquette 101. One of the guys says that they're with the flight in front of us. (So what? That doesn't give them the right to just pass us WITHOUT asking.) So, we go to the 5th hole. The flight behind us catches up with us, and asks us what caused the hold up. We said that this flight just slipped in front of our flight. So we complained to the marshall. We play the 5th hole and walk towards the next hole, where there is a teehouse, and both the flights in front of us were there, talking with the marshall. The mayor of Masiu City, Lanao del Sur talks with my dad. Things get heated up. Voices were raised. But never, in my wildest dreams, did I ever imagine that someone would pull out a punch. Apparently not. He attacks my father. His flightmates, maybe 2 or 3 of them, rush to his aid and beat up my father. My 56-year-old father. My younger brother and I could not just watch. We rushed to break the fight. My younger brother pleads to the mayor to please stop it. To not hurt my dad. To just stop. His words still ring through my head..."Sorry na po, sorry na po...tama na...tama na po..." With his hands in front of his chest in a praying position. PLEADING. The mayor socks him in the face. My brother defended himself. My dad is still on the ground getting clobbered. My brother is the same way. I try to stop the fight, but all I can do is stop one person. There were 4 or 5 of them attacking now.

Someone breaks up the fight. I thought it was all over. The mayor shouts to his caddy: "Hindi nila kami kilala! Sabihin mo nga sa kanila kung sino ako!" And believe me, I had no idea who this person was. But now I know. He's the person who, with 4 other men, beat up my 56-year-old father and my 14-year-old brother. He's the person who sacks a pleading 14-year-old kid in the face. He's a person who, I am sure, is gonna rot in hell.

I lash out, but my dad held me back. I was screaming my lungs out, shouting to this mayor, telling him about what he had done. I said:"Nakakahiya kayo. Singkwenta'y sais anyos ang tatay ko. And kapatid ko kakatorse anyos. Anong ilalaban nila sayo?"

The mayor looks at my brother, point to his face, and says, "Tatandaan kita!" And he tells me that my brother has a bad attitude and that I need to watch him. WHAT THE HELL?! So, my brother's bad for defending his father?!

We leave. We walk to the clubhouse to file a complaint. My brother asks for a doctor. My dad could barely walk. Their group comes to the clubhouse, sees my brother. Once again my brother pleads, says sorry, and is crying. He was CRYING, for crissakes. But no. The relentless mayor still punches him in the face, and then sees my dad and goes after my dad again. Him and his friend pull my dad to the ground, pulls at his feet, and steps on him like he's dirt. I run to him and try to hold him back, holding him back by his shirt, while this other guy and this girl tries to stop me. She tells me to just stop it. I scream in her face "they're beating my father up and you want me to stop?!" I pull at his shirt--I don't let go. All I can see was my dad being trampled on. I didn't even see my brother getting beat up.

People pull them away. I get my dad, and I saw my brother. His right ear was bleeding. I freaked out. I told the receptionists to bring my brother to the clinic. I pull my dad away. People were separating us.

My mom and my older brother come. I tell her Bino's right ear is bleeding. They both look like they could kill. My dad holds my brother off, I hold off my mom. When I finally got my mom under control, my older brother gets away and I hold him off. Two of the mayor's bodyguards pull out guns. I embraced my brother from the back, just holding him back, crying. The receptionists came to us, crying, hugging me, my dad, and my mom, whispering to us to just leave. "Maam, umalis na po kayo, may mga baril sila...Maam...umalis na po kayo please..."

I am pretty sure the Secretary of DAR did not take part in the fight, but he just watched all this happen. He watched two of his sons, as we figured out, the other guy was his son, too, beat up my father and my 14-year-old brother. He didn't do anything to stop it. And this person is what now? A cabinet member. A politician.

Sounds like something out of a movie, doesn't it? But this is what happened. TODAY. The day after Christmas. To my family. And all I ask for is JUSTICE. The people at Valley Golf did not seem to want to help us. None of the security guards even tried to stop the fight. Right in the clubhouse. I came back after the fight was over and talked to the receptionists. They say they did not see anything. The general manager of Valley Golf would not give us the names of the men who made my brother's ear bleed. It took him an hour. Maybe even more than that. He seemed to not want to help us. Because, we were against the SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRARIAN REFORM and the MAYOR OF MASIU CITY, LANAO DEL SUR. They were all scared.

The world is has gone crazy. Two politicians beat up a defenseless 56-year-old father and his 14-year-old son. At a golf course. I swear to God, I thought golfers were decent people. You would think politicians were decent people. I guess not. I guess they gang up on 56-year-old men and beat up pleading 14-year-old kids.

Please pray for my dad, my brother and for my whole family. Please pray that we get JUSTICE. Oh God, please, give these people what they deserve.

Every year ko na talaga ippost 'to. :)

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 03:24:20 GMT

Since every year naman, nadadagdagan contacts ko, I'll get to share this with more people. :)

The short excerpt down there is the closest I've found that pretty much sums up my faith.

I've told some people this -- I'm looking for something universal, something irrefutable, something that's true whatever your religion is. Because something about the way religions can't reconcile themselves bothers me. I want to believe in something that won't cross foul lines with any of the schools of faith. I don't know if that's too far-fetched a dream, but what the heck. Even if my faith runs only a few lines long, and doesn't have any specific laws, I don't care. :)

By the way, I'm a Christian. I just believe in something more. :) This isn't to say that others don't. Haha. Just in case you're wondering.

Happy Christmas, everyone. :)

*****

Everyone's busy presenting, defending, and fighting for their view of God.

Screw convention, and screw those who force convention to others. Introducing ideologies is okay, but forcing them on others is another. :D

I've read this a hundred times, and I think the person who wrote this summed up my thoughts in perfect layman's terms.Ü

The carpenter declared his theology had a lot to do with fleas and a dog.

Arguing whether or not a God exists is like fleas arguing whether or not the dog exists. Arguing over the correct name of God is like fleas arguing over the name of the dog. And arguing over whose notion of God is correct is like fleas arguing over who owns the dog.

-Robert Fulghum

That's pretty zen. If a carpenter could resolve all his theological issues with this, shame on those bigwigs who are trying to monopolize society/religion/beliefs.

Ü

Lists lists lists. Puro lists.

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 05:10:38 GMT

30 Things to do with Gelprens

At Home

1. Watch Devil Wears Prada
2. Bake a strawberry pie
~~3. Look at baby pictures~~
4. Watch Eagle Eye
5. Make homemade pizza
~~6. Cook Ken's steak platter~~
7. Watch White Chicks
8. Look in closets for jologs clothes
~~9. Look at what's inside memento boxes (Letters, mementos, doy.)~~
10. Paint

Not necessarily at home

11. Coloring book!
12. Ukay ukay
13. Divisoria and Recto, clothes hunting
14. Ride the Guadalupe-Manila Boat
15. Go to MC
16. Go to Rosehill
17. Alley hunting in Manila
18. Trimo Shawarma ko in Lagro
19. Watch the sun set in MOA
20. Country Style in MOA
21. Stargazing at Maulawin residence
~~22. Timezone~~
23. House hopping na hindi bahay nating apat
24. Cook for Beau and Anna
25. Spend the day together, tulog/kain mode.
26. BEACH.
27. Spend the night in a chill coffeehouse
28. One crazy wasted night
29. Cook up a storm for TS people. :)
30. Sleep in a Motel (apat tayo, ano kaya iisipin nila? :D)

50 Places Ken and Jowie SWEAR they will dine in.

1. Sicilian
2. Cyma
3. Cibo
4. Pho Hoa
5. ~~Teriyaki Boy~~
6. Bubba Gump
7. Behrouz
8. Han Pao Tea House
9. Fazoli's
10. Diner something sa Rockwell
11. Butter Diner
12. The new pasta place at TriNoMa
13. A Veneto
14. Don Bosco Food Place
15. Friday's
16. Chili's
17. ~~Yoshinoya~~
18. Mom and Tina's
19. Burgoo
20. Buffet sa isang Hotel
21. Jay-J's Inasal
22. Kourtyard Cafe
23. Likha Diwa
24. Fish and Co.
25. Cravings
26. ~~Dairy Queen~~
27. Annabel's
28. Heaven and Eggs
29. Tender Bob's
30. ~~Burger King Marcos Hi-Way~~
31. Haagen-Dazs Cafe
32. ~~Conti's~~
33. Mexicali
34. Miss Desserts
35. Starbucks Tagaytay
36. Landmark Foodcourt
37. North Park
38. UCC (cakes)
39. Bulalo in Tagaytay
40. ~~Banapple~~
41. Almon Marina
42. Bite Club
43. ~~Dinner sa Maulawin Residence~~ Rooftop. :) (kasi hindi pa nakakakakin sa rooftop :P)
44. Wham!
45. Foodtrip in MC
46. S&R Pizza
47. Freska
48. Lulubelles
49. Sucree Patisserie & Cafe
50. Manila street food. :)

Ang walang kamatayan at di natutupad na wishlist.

1. Korg ToneWorks Guitar Multi-effect unit (AX1500G/AX3000G/AX5G)
2. Orange Amplifier 20 or 30 or 40watt. Orange's a brand, btw, and the amp really is orange. Ü
3. A bike!!! I haven't had one since I was a kid :(
4. ~~A skateboard!! I wanna skate again!~~ Make that a SKIMBOARD and LONGBOARD. Haha!
5. Money for ~~a guitar tune-up~~ tools for tuning up my guitar. (Not string tuning okay. Allen wrenches, soldering kit, etc.)
~~6. A nice statement shirt~~ [Thanks Secret Santas. Ü]
7. Money, money, money
8. Nice smelling perfume (something musky. :D)
9. Numb3rs, House, and Grey's Anatomy, Season 3 of each iba nalang.BIG BANG THEORY!!!!!
~~10. A shopping spree Ü~~ [Thanks, Hong Kong. Haha.]
11. ~~Flowers and chocolates? Ü~~ nah. Save that for some other time.
~~12. Oh, oh, and a frisbee of my own!~~ [Thanks Soulmate. Ü]
13. ~~Gummi Bears (specially the green ones!)~~ Thanks duday. :D
14. Jelly Belly Jellybeans
~~15. Toblerone Dark~~ [Yuuuum. :D]
16. A nice notebook (I never say no to these. :D)
17. New chucks? The classic black ones. And Nike Dunks. :D
~~18. Bikini~~ [Thanks again, Hong Kong.]
19. New board shorts
~~20. A job~~ [Surprisingly, I got one. Not what I expected, though. :P]
~~21. Climbing shoes (please please?Ü)~~ I have my own already! :D Gusto ko ulit! Abused na yung Mad Rock ko.
22. Kissables Dark (meron niyan, I swear. Nakatikim na ko. :D)
23. A new notebook. My favorite notebook just got filled up.
~~24. A big corkboard for my door. Just the "cork" part, mind you. :)~~ Got these too!
25. Oil paints.
26. A new guitar? :D (Gibson Goddess daw sabi ni Marco. Or.. A white Epiphone Les Paul.)
27. Any good book.
28. M&Ms dark. They have it here in the Philippines already!

That's all. I guess I don't really have much to wish for. :D
***

And then, the wishlist money can't buy

In no particular order too:

1. A road trip to nowhere and anywhere with someone
2. Stargazing? Ü
3. A beach dip. At night.
~~4. A discussion revolving around everything and nothing for hours~~
5. ~~A movie/series marathon with someone~~
~~6. A race (lend me a car, or an arcade will do. Battle Gear 3, anyone?)~~ [Hi Sharm. Ü]
~~7. Watch the sunset behind Mall of Asia with me (by the ledges, right by the rocks nearest the water)~~ [Hi to those I've "dated". Haha. We didn't really get to go down the rocks, but it's nice just the same. Ü (Anna, Bea, Camal, Sharm, Raiza)]
8. Go on an adventure with me. Buses, trains, jeeps, the works.
9. ~~Listen to music with me. We can talk a lot, we can talk a little, or we don't have to talk at all~~
10. ~~Jam session~~.
11. ~~A really fun conversation~~
12. ~~A letter (what? haha)~~
13. Surprise me somewhere
14. Sing me my favorite song. I won't tell you what, though. Or you can sing me the favorite song I don't know I love yet.
15. Give me ice scramble. I can't find any in UP. :P
16. Kidnap me for frisbee, basketball, climbing, a jam session, or a conversation.
17. Take me to Power Up Silver City. :D
18. Visit me in the middle of the night. :)

_____________________________________________________________

In fairness, medyo marami yung na-cross out this year. :D

Ooooh. Lalo na dun sa wishlist money can't buy. Awwww.

Here's a link to the non-updated wishlist. click

Spot the differences. Haha.

ANDDDD. In fairness sa things to do and places to eat in, may mga na-cross out din. Cooooool. Thanks Greta Camille and Jowie. :D

Ang aga ko nasa bahay, wootwoot.

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 03:47:03 GMT

We all make different choices, and we all need different things, and I think we eventually learn to define happiness for ourselves. On our own terms. In spite of the pain other people have 'caused us.

-Haley, One Tree Hill

On our own terms. Happiness determined by a sole being. The kind that doesn't rely on who, what, when, where or how.

Sana maisip ng lahat ng tao yun.

I wasn't in the mood to watch OTH. Parang ang bigat masyado. So I just watched one episode. Buti maganda yung episode na yun. Haha.

Because I've got the house to myself..

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 10:51:49 GMT

Naisip ko lang, a lot of things have changed, a lot of things haven't.

I'm still anti-social, but I'm more accommodating with people.
I have less time on my hands, but I still end up sleeping all the time.
I've managed to stand by the things I really believe in. Only the things I really believe in.
(I've managed to weed out the 'for show' and 'just because' beliefs.)
I have two orgs now. And I'm very happy to be part of both. I thought I wouldn't join one.
I've received a grade of 5, and the world didn't end. Haha.
I go to the library during my breaks, alone. But I end up sleeping.
Nagbabasketball na ulit ako. What a surprise. :P
I have a six-day school week, and I'm okay with it, kahit super busy.
I've somehow learned to work with and work around all my responsibilities, although hindi palaging possible.
..so sobrang sinusulit ko when I get time to go out and visit loved ones. (Hi gelprens, Hi BFF. :D)
I've learned to make killer shooters and good cocktails.
(Pangarap ko talaga maging bartender, sorry. :P)
..but I still have yet to get wasted drunk. Haha. Not that I want it to happen.

Yun lang. Haha. Random thoughts. I'mma attempt to solve problems for all my subjects na. Bye. :P

Ang daming nagsabing gawin, so gawin.

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:34:26 GMT

Yeah. Gave in to a survey.

TEN THINGS YOU WANT TO SAY TO TEN DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

1. Hindi mo naman kailangan lumipat ng Cebu eh. At least initially.
2. Your hair looks better and better everytime I see you. Haha.
3. It's good I get to check up on you.
4. Whatever happens, I got your back. :)
5. You make life so chill, you'd make hell freeze over. :)
6. Gimme cookies, I'll give you whatever you want. Hahaha. :)
7. A little consistency and direction could do you good.
8. I wish things get better for you, I sincerely do.
9. I'm not saying right now what we don't really say. Magkita nga tayo. Haha.
10. You're HOT. I swear. Haha.

NINE THINGS ABOUT MYSELF

1. I dream in 4 dimensions sometimes.
2. I'm pretty friendly but I'm pretty guarded too.
3. I don't usually have specific inspirations when I get ideas to write. They just pop up, and then I just write from there. Like a really cool line, or something.
4. I realized today that I love corn. Off the cob please.
5. I love to cook, and I like cooking for people.
6. I can sexydance! And I *might* be good at it. Hahaha.
7. I can eat pasta everyday. Specially spaghetti.
8. The only isaw I eat: Maong's isaw manok, Mang Larry's isaw baboy.
9. Only a handful of people get to know me. I don't mean for it to happen. Ganun lang talaga. I'm shy, you know. Haha.

EIGHT WAYS TO WIN MY HEART

1. Love music. And love listening to music too.
2. Be yourself. And let me like you for you.
3. Like me for me. I have a lot of quirks, you know. :P
4. Be someone I can hang out with for hours.
5. Don't shower me with flattery. I stop believing after a while. Haha.
6. Mean what you say.
7. Be cheesy, but cool/funny/suave at the same time.
8. Be ma-pride, but let your guard down when you can't help it anymore. :D

SEVEN THINGS THAT CROSS YOUR MIND A LOT
1. String Theory
2. Counting dimensions, both spatial and universal. Oo na. Bakit ba. :P
3. Songs. And moments attached to songs.
4. People who matter.
5. Nice things to say, and Übersuave ways to say them.
6. Killer lines and quotes, those that totally leash everything you want to say.
7. Food.

SIX THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF

1. My awkwardness(es).
2. My weirdness(es). Isn't that the same as awkwardness? Haha ewan.
3. I tend to think too much.
4. I think I care too much about what other people want/need/think/say.
5. My lack of moolah. Hahaha.
6. My anti-social-ness. Hahaha. Or not.

FIVE TURN-OFFS
1. Awkwardness. Uncomfortable silences.
2. Narcissism
3. People who refuse to believe when people say things they mean.
4. People trying to be who they're not. Like the cool laid back guy trying to be badass.
5. Talking too much. And about nonsense things with nonsense timing.

FOUR TURN ONS
1. Being passionate about something.
2. Eyes that stare into you. Into, not at.
3. Being able to talk about anything and everything and nothing without being awkward.
4. Comfortable silence. :)

THREE SONG LINES THAT DESCRIBE YOUR DAY
1. You're the perfect thing to say. (Everything, Michael Bublè)
2. Take a look around, we got the whole world locked down. Goin' on and on it don't stop, won't stop, can't stop. Either ride or die, got to give it up for the West Side. (West Side, TQ)
3. I'll hold out my hand to you. Supreme love and respect, peace man. (Peace Man, Bamboo)

TWO THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE
1. Make something really cool. Like my own guitar, guitar effects, amplifiers, computer, etc.
2. Write a book? Haha. Or basta write something containing all my thoughts on life.

ONE CONFESSION:
If people simply ask me things, they'd probably find out more than if they'd ask me to say something. Okay, what a confession. Labo. Hahaha.

***

I'm going to sleep now. :)

After this, it's contacts only.

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:07:00 GMT

I made my Photos contacts only. And possibly all future content. Haha.

I'm not too comfy with people I don't know viewing my multiply anymore.

Yun lang. :D

Pahinga muna sa Plurk.

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 15:19:49 GMT

Plurk seems to be ERG's thing. Haha crazyyyy! Averaging 7 responses every 3 seconds, and 5 plurks per minute.

Don't have Plurk? click.

Anyway. It's almost time for the second semester to start. Seriously, I'm preparing for a worthwhile semester. That means I must build better study habits than last sem.

Witwiw. I'm actually stressing over classes, and it hasn't even started.

Oh, by the way.

Member na ko ng ERG! Yay. After a sem-long application process, member na ko. I love my batchmates. Go 08a! Gusto ko sumayaw pa ng ma-H. I swear. Hahahaha. Striptease Aerobics for PE! Makukuha ko din yan someday. Or bellydancing. Pero mas gusto ko yung striptease. Haha!

I miss my classmates. Four. Habang may time pa ko. Labas tayo please. :)

Anna. I missed you. Good seeing you sa Taft. Kaso bitin. Next time ah. More kwento :)

Tin. Miss you parin. Magkita tayo please. At magkwento ka please. Haha. Hug.

Gelprens. Pumunta kayo dito. Now. Haha. Joke. Since reg period naman, at malapit yung house. Dito na tayo chumill.

Greta. Okay fine, you won't get to read this since we haven't fixed your PC yet. Haha. Nakapag Zambales ka, amp. Daya mo. See you sa dressing room. Hahaha.

***

Yun lang. Haha.

I wanna eat somewhere nice.

Ang labo ng entry na 'to. Like I said, makapahinga lang sa Plurk. Hahaha. :D

Bye.

Second Sem na kasi.

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:52:08 GMT

Click the picture to see.

Monday to Saturday ako this sem. Whattabout. I can feel a busy sem coming.

Lots of things have happened this month. Some surprising, some exciting, some tiring, but everything fulfilling. I love this month. Love October 2008. :)

Good night :)

Second Sem na kasi.

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:44:18 GMT

Monday to Saturday ako. Whattabout. I feel a majorly busy sem coming. Haha.

Am I classmates with anyone? :)

This sem won't be sched heavy, but I think it'll be acad-heavy. Oh well. :P

Lotsa things have happened the past month. Some surprising, some exciting, some tiring. Haha. Love October 2008. :)

Good night.

Dahil ang daming ERG dito sa bahay, nagkaroon ako ng Plurk account. :))

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:00:19 GMT

O, ha. Adik sa Plurk mga tao. Lahat ng computer dito nagamit pang Plurk today. Hahaha. :))

Sooo.

click -----> http://www.plurk.com/user/keeen kung may Plurk ka na.

and click -----> here kung wala pa. :D